Clowns and Prophets – SuperSalon with Jim O’Shaughnessy

In this SuperSalon, the one and only Jim O’Shaughnessy joins Interintellect host, Bronwyn Williams to talk about clowns and prophets and why we love to hate those who tell us the truth about ourselves.

“If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they will kill you.”
~ Billy Wilder

In literature and mythology the roles of court jester and Cassandra often overlap; but the humourless prophet is usually far less popular than the truth-telling fool.

As Malcom Gladwell says: “The Holy Fool is a truth-teller because he is an outcast. Those who are not part of existing social hierarchies are free to blurt out inconvenient truths or question things the rest of us take for granted.”

In this SuperSalon we’ll discuss ways of telling the truth, why telling the truth matters, and how to wield humour as a way to frame and communicate truths in ways that are heard (without endangering the messenger). We will cover everything from stand up comedy and Jerry Seinfeld, to Shakespeare and Sarah Palin (yes, it’s all connected).

We hope you can join us as Jim O’Shaughnessy unpacks his prescient take on how laughs win more friends and influence more minds than stern prophets.

“Make people laugh, and be of use to them.” ~ Jim O’Shaughnessy

Recommended Reading:

• Laughter as a Weapon
• Holy Fools, Secular Saints, and Illiterate Saviors in American Literature and Popular Culture
• Playing the Fool
• Speaking Truth to Power

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